“I don’t change a comma in everything I think. I am convinced that it will be a great season for him and his team-mates.”

Saul Niguez, on the other hand, is excited by the prospect of taking on Real in New Jersey. Furthermore, the Spanish midfielder warned that Atletico will be taking it very seriously.

“Although it is a friendly match, it is a derby. It is always special, it is the first that is played outside Europe, it makes us very excited to compete tomorrow,” said Saul.

“The really important thing is to prepare for the first official match, but we are going to play as if it were an official match, as if it were a final, because every time you wear the shirt of Atletico Madrid it is to give everything.”

The Madrid derby between Real and Atletico will begin at 02:06 (CET) on Saturday morning.

MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 06: Saul Niguez of Atletico Madrid celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal during the Group A match of the UEFA Champions League between Club Atletico de Madrid and Borussia Dortmund at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano on November 6, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)